1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a layout position designating sheet for mounting originals at desired positions when originals to be reproduced are attached to an image reproduction apparatus such as a color scanner, in image reproduction such as photo mechanical process, and a method of mounting originals using the sheet. More specifically, the present invention relates to a highly cost-effective layout position designating sheet and method of mounting originals using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
When originals are reproduced by color separation reproduction of color originals using a drum type color scanner, a plurality of originals are generally arranged in a line to be attached to an original drum. The sizes of the color originals are, for example, 6.times.6 cm, 10.times.13 cm (4.times.5'') and so on. Meanwhile, the original drum of the color scanner has an area large enough to permit attachment of a plurality of originals in one line. Therefore, the efficiency can be improved when the plurality of originals are attached on the original drum for color separation.
It is desired that the originals be mounted such that trimming lines based on the desired layout of respective originals are aligned with the direction of the scanning line. To that end each of the originals must be attached with the angle of inclination properly determined, so that color separation can be carried out only in the necessary range. Namely, since the trimming frame is generally rectangular, when the original is mounted with the angle of inclination determined such that trimming frame lines are aligned with the main and subscanning directions of the color scanner, efficiency in operation can be very much improved.
The reason for this will be described in the following with reference to FIG. 6. FIG. 6 shows originals of the same size arranged on a surface of an original drum 30 of a color scanner, one of which is arranged with two pairs of trimming lines extending parallel to the main scanning direction and the subscanning direction, respectively, and the other one is arranged inclined.
Referring to FIG. 6, as to the original arranged with the two pairs of trimming lines extending parallel to the main scanning direction and the subscanning direction as shown in the left side of the figure, the input range on the scanner is a in the main scanning direction and b in the subscanning direction. Meanwhile, referring to the right side of FIG. 6, when the original is arranged with the two pairs of trimming lines of the original inclined to the main scanning direction and the subscanning direction, the range of input is a' in the main scanning direction and b' in the subscanning direction. Consequently, as shown by the hatching in the right side of FIG. 6, unnecessary regions are scanned image signals of which region need not be inputted. Therefore, when the original is arranged with the trimming frame lines aligned in the main scanning direction and the subscanning direction, the efficiency in operation can be improved, as described above.
Particularly, when a color scanner is employed for input for electrical page make up, it takes much time to rotate the images electrically. Accordingly, it is desired that the originals be inclined in advance for scanning. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,273 to Yamada et al. discloses a method of scanning an original utilizing a page-make-up color scanner.
A method of mounting a plurality of originals collectively by using a layout sheet 1 as shown in FIG. 7 has been proposed as a method of determining the position and angle of mounting originals. According to this method, a sheet is prepared on which are drawn outer frame lines 2a to 2f indicative of the mounting positions of respective originals (for convenience, shown in dotted lines), trimming lines 3a to 3f and 4a to 4f in the main scanning direction indicative of the trimming area of the respective originals, trimming lines 5a to 5f and 6a to 6f in the subscanning direction, and reference lines 7 and 8 which are the reference in mounting the sheet 1 to the original drum 30 of the color scanner. The reference lines 7 and 8 are drawn in parallel to the trimming lines 3 and 4 in the subscanning direction.
Such an original mounting sheet 1 can be made by manual drafting. However, recently, a drawing apparatus incorporating a projection type digitizer and an X-Y plotter such as shown in FIG. 8 is used for forming desired patterns effectively and highly precisely.
Such a drawing apparatus is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 61-295758.
The projection type digitizer 10 has a structure similar to that of a photograph enlarger, comprising an original table 11 on which originals to be reproduced are placed, a lamp house 12 containing a light source provided thereabove, and a lens 13 arranged below the original table 11. The original placed on the original table 11 is irradiated by the light source, and the images on the original are projected to a projection table 14 below, through the lens 13. An X-Y digitizer 15 is provided on the upper surface of the projection table 14, on which surface the images of the original are projected. By adjusting the height of the original table 15 and the lens 13, the images are formed in a dimension designated for the reproduction layout. Distances between each of the original table 11, the lens 13 and the digitizer 15 and the reproduction magnification calculated based on the focal length of the lens 13 are displayed on a magnification displaying portion 16. The original is rotated on the horizontal surface such that the desired trimming frame lines of the projected image are aligned with the X and Y axes of the digitizer 15, whereby the angle of inclination to the trimming frame line of the original is set.
Thereafter, the cursor 17 is successively moved to the respective corners of the projected image and the positions of the trimming frame lines, with the data of the respective positions inputted by using X-Y coordinate values. At the same time, the data of the desired positions in the original are inputted by the cursor 17. The data of the desired positions of the original means characteristic points of the images representative of the trimming position or the angle of the original, such as the positions of the eyes or the position of a brim of a hat in the original.
The inputted data of respective positions are calculated in an attached computer 18, and the shapes of the outer frame lines and the trimming frame lines of the original are displayed on a CRT display 19 in accordance with the result of the calculation.
This operation is repeated for the plurality of desired originals. When all the data of the originals to be mounted are prepared, the X-Y plotter 20 is operated in accordance with the data. Consequently, an original mounting sheet 1 is prepared on which the desired outer frame lines including first reference lines 2a to 2f, the trimming frame lines 3a to 3f and 4a to 4f and second reference lines 5a to 5f and 6a and 6f of the originals and the reference lines 7 and 8 are drawn as shown in FIG. 7.
The above described data may be used as the data for controlling the color scanner for reproducing respective originals. More specifically, the region between the trimming frame lines 3 and 4 in the main scanning direction and between the trimming frame lines 5 and 6 in the subscanning direction is regarded as the region to be reproduced for each of the originals. The image signals of this region are outputted, whereby the images to be reproduced which are trimmed as desired are recorded.
There are methods of mounting respective originals at designated positions by using the original mounting sheet 1. In accordance with a first method, the original mounting sheet 1 is cut along the drawn respective outer frame lines 2. The respective originals are aligned with the corresponding cut windows and fixed thereto by means of sticky tapes. In this manner, a plurality of originals are mounted on the original mounting sheet 1 with the respective trimming frame lines 3, 4, 5 and 6 aligned in the prescribed direction. Thereafter, the original mounting sheet 1 is wound around the original drum of the color scanner. Marks are provided in advance in the subscanning direction on the original drum. The original mounting sheet 1 is wound therearound such that the reference lines 7 and 8 drawn on the original mounting sheet 1 is aligned with the marks. Consequently, the respective originals are mounted on the original drum such that the trimming frame lines 3, 4, 5 and 6 are aligned in the main scanning direction and the subscanning direction.
In accordance with a second method, the respective outer frame lines 2, the trimming frame lines 3, 4, 5 and 6, and the reference lines 7 and 8 are drawn on a transparent sheet. The respective originals are aligned and fixed by sticky tapes on the transparent sheet. Thereafter, the sheet is wound around the original drum in the same manner as in the first method.
The above described first and second methods of the prior art comprise the following drawbacks. The drawback of the first method of cutting windows is that it is difficult to cut windows having the precise dimension and the precise angle of inclination on the original mounting sheet 1 for the respective originals, as it requires elaborate manual operation of a skilled person. This increases the cost.
In addition, since the respective originals to be mounted are different in thickness, the sheet 1 is distorted. Therefore, when the sheet 1 is wound around the original drum, the sheet may not be entirely in close contact with the drum surface and portions of the sheet 1 may lift away from the surface. Since the original drum of the color scanner is rotated at a high speed of about several hundred rpm during operation, the sheets may peel and scatter when the wound sheet is distorted Worse than peeling, the quality of the reproduced images may be degraded as the positions of the originals are moved.
In addition, when dust and the like is present between the surface of the original drum and the originals, white spots are generated on the reproduced images, degrading the quality of the images. In order to prevent such spots, dusts must be cleared when the sheet is mounted. However, it is very difficult to completely eliminate the dust on the entire surface of the original mounting sheet 1 which has a large area. It may take longer than mounting the originals directly on the original drum one by one.
A non-stretchable sheet material, for example a Mylar sheet is used as the original mounting sheet 1 in order to make sure the positions of mounting the original and the precision of the angle of inclination. Such sheet materials of high quality are expensive, increasing the cost of image reproduction. Especially in the first method of cutting windows in the original mounting sheet 1, when the spaces between windows are too small, the sheet becomes weak and it may be greatly distorted or damaged. In order to prevent such problems, the density of arrangement of the originals should be low. Namely, the respective originals must be arranged spaced apart from each other. The efficiency in arranging the originals on the sheet and the efficiency of operating the scanner are both decreased.
The problems of the second method employing a transparent sheet are as follows. Unlike the first method, it is not necessary to provide windows. However, the problem of dust between the transparent sheet and the original drum surface is the same. In addition, as in the first method, the outer frame lines 2 of the respective originals are drawn on the original mounting sheet 1 such that the lines in the entirety thereof do not overlap one another. Therefore, relatively large area of the sheet 1 is still required, increasing the cost of the materials.